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15 Jackie Chan facts as he returns in Karate Kid – real name, 2,900 takes and odd fearMartial arts icon and star of Karate Kid: Legends, Jackie Chan picked up his name during a brief stint

as a construction worker in Australia, and his dad busted his mum smuggling opiumCommentsNewsJames Moore and Zita Whalley19:47, 31 May 2025How well do you know Jackie Chan? (Image: Getty

Images) Martial arts legend Jackie Chan is chop-socking his way back into cinemas this weekend with the release of the new movie Karate Kid: Legends.

It sees the stunt icon reprise his role as mentor Mr Han alongside Ralph Macchio, who starred as Daniel LaRusso in the original Karate Kid movies. They join forces to train a new ‘kid’ Li

Fong, played by Ben Wang.

‌ Here James Moore reveals fifteen kicking facts about Chan you probably never knew.

‌ 1) He was born as Chan Kong-sang, in 1954, in Hong Kong. Jackie is a nickname which he picked up when he briefly worked as a construction worker in Australia in the 1970s.

The Karate Kid actor once worked in construction in Australia 2) His dad Charles worked as a cook, but later turned out to have been an ex-spy called Fang Daolang who’d fled China after the

Communist takeover. He’d married Chan’s mum, Lee-lee, after arresting her for opium smuggling.

Article continues below 3) Chan’s parents dubbed him Cannonball as a youngster as he was always jumping around. At seven they sent him to a drama academy boarding school while they went to

work in Australia. Chan later joined them.

The Shanghai Knights actor has broken his nose three times(Image: Unknown) 4) As well as kung fu he trained in other martial arts like karate and began working on Bruce Lee movies in the

1970s, like Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon, as an acrobat and stuntman.

‌ 5) He soon developed his own comedy kung fu style in films like Drunken Master, inspired by his film heroes like Buster Keaton.

6) Famed for his amazing stunts, he also became known as a perfectionist doing a record 2900 takes for one fight scene in 1982’s Dragon Lord.

He has a string of business ventures, including his own wine line(Image: AFP via Getty Images)‌ 7) His top stunts include dropping 70ft from a clock tower through canopies, sliding down a

pole several stories high, skydiving on to a hot air balloon and hanging from a chopper.

8) He’d go on to star in Hollywood movies such as 1998’s Rush Hour, 2000’s Shanghai Noon and the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid.

9) He’s chalked up over 70 injuries including breaking his nose three times, most of his fingers, his cheekbones, ankle and skull as well as suffering serious burns.

‌While jumping off a building doesn't phase him, needles do(Image: Getty Images) 10) Despite being apparently fearless for his stunts Chan has one odd fear. He says: “Needles will always

make me feel faint. Just the sight of one.”

11) Now 71 he says: “If I have to jump off a building…I need a double now. But if it’s just normal fighting, I do it myself.”

‌ 12) Chan holds the record for most credits in a single movie – 15. He was the writer, director, producer, actor, stunt choreographer and much more in 2012 film Chinese Zodiac.

His dad and mum met when he busted her smuggling opium(Image: VCG via Getty Images) 13) He can speak Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean and English and is also a singer, having released 20 albums.

Article continues below 14) The star married Taiwanese actress Joan Lin in 1982 and they have a son Jaycee. Chan had an affair with actress Elaine Ng Yi-lei in the 1990s and the pair have a

daughter together.

15) Chan is a big footie fan, supporting Hong Kong, England and Manchester City. He has a clothing line, sushi chain, food range, a string of gyms and is worth around £300million.

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